The Nairobi County government has opened a six-month amnesty aimed at giving housing developers and property owners a chance to regularise unauthorised developments without paying penalties, in a move designed to ease compliance and reduce long-running disputes over planning approvals.
In a notice issued on Thursday, December 18, the county urged developers to take advantage of the window by submitting their applications even where documentation is incomplete. Officials said the goal is to get developments into the formal system and guide applicants through the remaining requirements.
Developers have been advised to submit their details through the Nairobi Planning and Development Management System (NPDMS), at their respective sub-county offices, or directly at City Hall.
According to Patrick Mbogo, the County Executive Committee Member for Built Environment and Urban Planning, officers from the County Urban Planning Department will work closely with applicants to identify any missing documents and outline what is required for approval.
Once an application is reviewed, the department will issue conditional approvals, after which a Certificate of Compliance will be granted once all conditions are met.
The regularisation programme covers a wide range of developments, including changes or extensions of land and building use, land subdivisions and amalgamations, building plans, occupation approvals, and lease renewals.
However, the county has drawn firm boundaries on what will not be considered. Structures built on public land, riparian reserves, protected areas, unsafe buildings, as well as developments that violate court orders, are explicitly excluded from the amnesty.
County officials say the initiative is meant to strengthen property rights, minimise enforcement conflicts and demolitions, and ensure that developments are properly integrated into Nairobi’s infrastructure planning.
At the same time, the county warned that developers and property owners who fail to comply with planning and regulatory requirements risk legal action once the amnesty period lapses.
Tax Waiver for Landlords
The six-month amnesty comes shortly after the county announced a 100 per cent tax waiver for landlords who clear outstanding land rate arrears before the end of the year.
In a statement issued on Sunday, December 14, Nairobi’s Receiver of Revenue Tiras Njoroge said the waiver will run from December 15 to December 31, removing all accumulated interest and penalties.
“This is an opportunity to correct any outstanding land rates you may have accumulated,” Njoroge said. “Take advantage of the waiver, which wipes out 100 per cent of interest and penalties.”
Together, the two measures signal a renewed push by the county government to encourage compliance while offering property owners a pathway to regularise their developments and financial obligations without punitive costs.
